NFL regulalr season game in Croke Park ?

adrian522 · 11-03-2011 8:57pm

I wouldn't pay to see the pro bowl to be honest.

it's a nothing game, I wouldn't open the curtains if it was on in the back garden.

The rules for the game destroy any chance it could be an interesting game (e.g no blitzing, must play zone defence etc)

Chucky the tree · 12-03-2011 1:12pm

lol at the pro bowl. Hmmm, I wonder what the players would prefer, a week Hawaii or a week in Dublin in January. :pac:

bobby wade · 12-03-2011 3:02pm

Torlac wrote: »

the Aviva stadium site says Sept 1 2012.

who would be handling ticket sales i wonder?

yeah it's the 1st I guessed at the date

jpjc05 · 29-11-2011 10:04am

Newstalk sport reported this morning that a delegation from the NFL will be visiting Croke Park on Friday with a view to holding a regular season game in 2013.

D3PO · 29-11-2011 10:38am

jpjc05 wrote: »

Newstalk sport reported this morning that a delegation from the NFL will be visiting Croke Park on Friday with a view to holding a regular season game in 2013.

Yeah I heard that on the radio. Would be great. Im already looking forward to the college game next year. to have an NFL game to look forwrd to the folowing season would be great.

Peyton Manning · 29-11-2011 10:57am

Just a bit of literature from the Examiner.

HIGH ranking NFL officials will visit Croke Park on Friday to assess the stadium’s suitability to host their games.

As was revealed in yesterday’s Irish Examiner, American Football’s top brass admitted Dublin was on their radar as they plan to develop their brand in Europe by playing regular season games on this side of the Atlantic.

A number of other European cities are understood to be bidding for such ties and last night Croke Park chief Peter McKenna revealed that his team are close to finalising a formal bid document.

Mr McKenna said: "That story is very timely. We are hosting a delegation on Friday from the NFL. We have been looking at this issue [hosting a regular season game] for some time and have been very encouraged by the huge support we have received from US Ambassador to Ireland Dan Rooney who is also chairman of the Pittsburgh Steelers in recent months."

If Croke Park are successful in wooing the NFL, McKenna believes that there will be massive economic potential from such games.

He reasoned: "This is not just about Croke Park, this is about Ireland. We are used to hosting large events in this country, like the Volvo Ocean Race and the Ryder Cup. So we would be perfectly capable of hosting a regular season NFL game.

"But this represents a tremendous opportunity for Croke Park, Dublin and for Ireland in terms of tourism, publicity and revenue generation."

Friday’s meeting is part of a complex bid process.

"The officials will want to have a number of questions answered as part of a tender process.

"We are competing with other cities in Europe for this, so it is very more than just a once off hit. We are due to have a formal bid with them by mid December.

"We are at a very advanced stage in our bid document, this is not something that you could do in a day or a week.

"We have been preparing this for quite some while and we hope that it will all pay off.

"This will all hopefully fit with the Sports Minister’s plan for The Gathering’ Diaspora 2013 project. So hopefully all these things are coming nicely together. Croke Park has hosted NFL games in the past. But this is on a different level."

NFL’s owners voted last month to add a second foreign game to the league’s season to go with the London fixture which was first played in 2007. The first time the NFL ever went abroad for a regular season game was Mexico City in 2005 but Wembley has been the venue on the last five occasions.

"It’s clear that there’s support for more than one game (in the UK)," league’s commissioner, Roger Goodell told Sports Illustrated. "The ownership has passed a resolution allowing us to do that. We may do that as early as 2012. We’re sort of contemplating that in the context of them hosting the Olympics next summer. We had a (pre-season) game (in Croke Park) in the 1990s where Chicago and Pittsburgh played, and it was a great success."

Read more: http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/croker-touchdown-for-nfl-chiefs-175426.html#ixzz1f5RoMwAh

D3PO · 29-11-2011 11:04am

how long before the rumour mill starts again about the Steelers with Mr Rooney the US ambassador for Ireland wanting to play here ?

Peyton Manning · 29-11-2011 11:10am

D3PO wrote: »

how long before the rumour mill starts again about the Steelers with Mr Rooney the US ambassador for Ireland wanting to play here ?

As long as we're given a good bit of notice. I want to make sure any female relatives are out of the country before Big Ben arrives.

D3PO · 29-11-2011 11:16am

Cam Newton wrote: »

As long as we're given a good bit of notice. I want to make sure any female relatives are out of the country before Big Ben arrives.

Your honor I thought Mna was the mens toilets .......

me-skywalker · 29-11-2011 12:03pm

Up against other cities and tbh with the game in Wembley im sure they would problably want to extend the reach further East like maybe have a game in Germany!

More likely to get a Steelers pre-season game?

jack presley · 29-11-2011 12:06pm

me-skywalker wrote: »

Up against other cities and tbh with the game in Wembley im sure they would problably want to extend the reach further East like maybe have a game in Germany!

More likely to get a Steelers pre-season game?

Teams complain about the 5 hour time difference to London as it is. Germany would add another hour on so that's one advantage we have over the continent

D3PO · 29-11-2011 12:17pm

jack presley wrote: »

Teams complain about the 5 hour time difference to London as it is. Germany would add another hour on so that's one advantage we have over the continent

although David Cameron has stated that he wants to change the UK'S timezone to match CET as a 2 year temporary measure to see how it works and if it were to happen the feeling is Ireland would follow suit.

/stops bringing politics into this :cool:

Dodge · 29-11-2011 3:56pm

jack presley wrote: »

Teams complain about the 5 hour time difference to London as it is. Germany would add another hour on so that's one advantage we have over the continent

There's more than 5 hours time difference between London and, say, New Orleans who played a home game there...

The big advantage we have is that we're English speaking. Goodell mentioned that 2012 might see a 2nd game but it wouldn't be London due to the Olympics.

Germany, of course, is a leding contendor due to its support of NFL Europe, magnificent stadiums and all round top class infrastructure.

Chucky the tree · 29-11-2011 4:12pm

IF Steelers player it will be an away game and one that is out of the division so that only leaves four potential team they can play which would be tricky.

jack presley · 29-11-2011 4:31pm

Chucky the tree wrote: »

IF Steelers player it will be an away game and one that is out of the division so that only leaves four potential team they can play which would be tricky.

The steelers 2013 out of division away opponents are:

Patriots
Jets
Packers
Vikings
Their matching team in the AFC West

Any of them likely to give up a home game?

Chucky the tree · 29-11-2011 4:34pm

jack presley wrote: »

The steelers 2013 out of division away opponents are:

Patriots
Jets
Packers
Vikings
Their matching team in the AFC West

Any of them likely to give up a home game?

Maybe the Vikings would be most likely. I think there is zero chance the other 3 give up a home game to the Steelers.

matthew8 · 29-11-2011 4:35pm

jack presley wrote: »

The steelers 2013 out of division away opponents are:

Patriots
Jets
Packers
Vikings
Their matching team in the AFC West

Any of them likely to give up a home game?

The AFC west teams can't sell tickets, they could give up a home game, though it wouldn't surprise me if the Steelers gave one up.

Dodge · 29-11-2011 4:38pm

Chucky the tree wrote: »

IF Steelers player it will be an away game and one that is out of the division so that only leaves four potential team they can play which would be tricky.

Maybe not for Dublin, but every NFL team has agreed to give up a home game under the International series banner.

jack presley · 29-11-2011 4:40pm

How soon would it have to be finalised? Their AFC West opponent won't be known until the end of the 2012 season but would one of them give up a game if they happened to be the team?

It's probably too awkward so it'd have to be a team they definitely know they're playing

Chucky the tree · 29-11-2011 4:41pm

Dodge wrote: »

Maybe not for Dublin, but every NFL team has agreed to give up a home game under the International series banner.

Didn't know that, quite surprising.

jack presley · 29-11-2011 4:44pm

Dodge wrote: »

Chucky the tree wrote: »

IF Steelers player it will be an away game and one that is out of the division so that only leaves four potential team they can play which would be tricky.

Maybe not for Dublin, but every NFL team has agreed to give up a home game under the International series banner.

I would love to be at the meeting when someone reminds jerry jones he signed up for that!

Dodge · 29-11-2011 4:45pm

Chucky the tree wrote: »

Didn't know that, quite surprising.

its all about money. If the NFL showed them they'd make more money through 7 home + 1 international than 8 home, its a decision to be made.

We won't be seeing divisional match ups IMO and the lilkes of Steelers/Packers might be alst to do it, but its certainly not completely out of the question that IF there's a dublin game (I don't think thre will be), that it'd be the Steelers at home

Dodge · 29-11-2011 4:49pm

jack presley wrote: »

I would love to be at the meeting when someone reminds jerry jones he signed up for that!

He he. I'd imagine a few of them signed up to it thinking "yeah, yeah, he'll never make us do it"

D3PO · 29-11-2011 5:05pm

I dont see it happening in 2013 to be fair but Id say the NFL will be keen to see how the NCAAF game goes next year.

If thats a success then that might just be a factor that convicnes the NFL to have a game here in futuer but id say 2014 would be more likely.

Syferus · 29-11-2011 5:08pm

Either way, Croke Park is ideal as a stadium, all-seater besides Hill 16 and the sheer size of the pinch means there's plenty of room for the NFL side-lines that tend to have more people than a small St. Patrick's Day parade on each side.

tallaghtoutlaws · 29-11-2011 5:19pm

D3PO wrote: »

Your honor I thought Mna was the mens toilets .......

Someone should make t-shirts

"Went to NFL Dublin to see the Steelers and all I got was this t-shirt and a raping by Big Ben"

And let their missus wear it

I am pie · 29-11-2011 5:27pm

Surely this is a pipe dream. As a market, Ireland is just too small, I really think Germany is infinitely more likely. Better stadiums + bigger audience. In US terms London may as well be Dublin for all it matters in terms of time zone, market (we watch the same TV channels more or less) and reaching out to local fans. I think the NFL would be thinking bigger than Dublin.

Unfortunately.

D3PO · 29-11-2011 5:30pm

I am pie wrote: »

Surely this is a pipe dream. As a market, Ireland is just too small,.

you must not have been to wembley for any game. the majority of people will travel from elsewhere in europe.

SantryRed · 29-11-2011 5:31pm

Syferus wrote: »

Either way, Croke Park is ideal as a stadium, all-seater besides Hill 16 and the sheer size of the pinch means there's plenty of room for the NFL side-lines that tend to have more people than a small St. Patrick's Day parade on each side.

Croke Park is not ideal due to that poxy Hill 16. It'll never host an NFL regular season game unless bucket seats are put in on that end.

D3PO · 29-11-2011 5:35pm

SantryRed wrote: »

Croke Park is not ideal due to that poxy Hill 16. It'll never host an NFL regular season game unless bucket seats are put in on that end.

Its relatively easy to install temporary seating in the hill so no big issue.

tallaghtoutlaws · 29-11-2011 5:39pm

SantryRed wrote: »

Croke Park is not ideal due to that poxy Hill 16. It'll never host an NFL regular season game unless bucket seats are put in on that end.

Bucket seats like they were doing for the Ireland soccer matches.

I am pie · 29-11-2011 5:44pm

D3PO wrote: »

you must not have been to wembley for any game. the majority of people will travel from elsewhere in europe.

Right, and why would they have a game in Ireland as opposed to London which is closer to the rest of Europe. Why wouldn't they just have it closer to where the majority of the fans are ?

I can see no commercial sense in a Dublin fixture. Makes no sense either in terms of trying to expand your fan base. Why try to do that in one of the smallest countries in Europe ?

Dodge · 29-11-2011 5:45pm

I am pie wrote: »

Surely this is a pipe dream. As a market, Ireland is just too small, I really think Germany is infinitely more likely. Better stadiums + bigger audience. In US terms London may as well be Dublin for all it matters in terms of time zone, market (we watch the same TV channels more or less) and reaching out to local fans. I think the NFL would be thinking bigger than Dublin.

Unfortunately.

The bit in bold answers your point about market. in terms of TV, we'd be effectively servicing the UK market.

I don't think it will happen, and I agree that germany is more likely but there's no real barriers to us holding a game. UK and germany can offer more though

conno16 · 29-11-2011 5:59pm

the aviva would be a better option
closer to town, on the dart etc
plus its an all seater stadium
can a nfl pitch fit on a soccer pitch?
presume so, as soldier field is home to the bears and the fire

Dodge · 29-11-2011 6:07pm

conno16 wrote: »

the aviva would be a better option
closer to town, on the dart etc
plus its an all seater stadium
can a nfl pitch fit on a soccer pitch?
presume so, as soldier field is home to the bears and the fire

Fire is long gone. And its easier to shorten an NFL pitch than lengthen a football pitch. Seeing as the Navy/Notre dame game is in Aviva, the size of the pitch isn't an issue

The size of the stands are though. I'd expect any game in Dublin to easily sell out

me-skywalker · 29-11-2011 6:21pm

conno16 wrote: »

the aviva would be a better option
closer to town, on the dart etc
plus its an all seater stadium
can a nfl pitch fit on a soccer pitch?
presume so, as soldier field is home to the bears and the fire

Croke Park 10min walk from O'Connell Street(served by several luas, dart and bus services) V Aviva 30min(approx) walk from O'Connell Street, served by no luas network, one train station and less bus routes.

Croke Park 80k capacity V Aviva 50k Capacity. More fans, better atmosphere, more money.

An NFL gridiron is 120yards long; 100 yards apart are the 10 yards each end for the end zone(scoring area for a TD) 53.3 yards wide. Aviva would be a tight squeeze for a pitch. Croke park would fit the pitch in lenghtways easily and width easily inc the previously mentioned sideline area's for the player. GAA pitches are monsters compared to soccer pitches.

Scheduling; Croke Park would be free after September when the NFL season is in full swing due to the GAA seasons finishing early September V Aviva where Ireland will have a couple of WC qualifiers matches.

Croke Park wins on all accounts.

I really hope this happens. Even if it doesn't would be a great weekend trip to Berlin/Munich/Paris/Milan/Rome... etc etc

conno16 · 29-11-2011 6:32pm

it would have to be two big teams for me to travel to berlin or paris etc
on the other hand, a mediocre lineup would still have me wandering up to croker or the aviva
regardless of the teams, if this is a regular season game it will easily sell-out in ireland
unless of course tickets are 100 quid

i'd push for green bay versus patriots (or maybe ny giants)

Benny Cake · 29-11-2011 7:14pm

conno16 wrote: »

i'd push for green bay versus patriots

No way a game of that magnitude would be moved

D3PO · 29-11-2011 7:45pm

I am pie wrote: »

Right, and why would they have a game in Ireland as opposed to London which is closer to the rest of Europe. Why wouldn't they just have it closer to where the majority of the fans are ?

I can see no commercial sense in a Dublin fixture. Makes no sense either in terms of trying to expand your fan base. Why try to do that in one of the smallest countries in Europe ?

they will still have the London game this would be in addition to it.

Weather the game be in London, Dublin, Madrid or Berlin the same international fans will travel. If you were at Wembley for any of the games you would find a hell of a lot of German fans a hell of alot of Irish, lots from Scotland etc

Comercially any of the locations I mention provide the same thing to the NFL i.e European exposure whilst also being easier on the teams.

America to Ireland is less travel for the teams, its less costly for the teams, plus they are based in an English speaking location which is also handier for them.

Its not as unbelieveable as you seem to think it is, although again Id say 2013 is unlikely.

Syferus · 30-11-2011 3:32am

Dan Rooney is a dyed-in-the-wool Irish-American and personally requested the Irish ambassador role from Obama so it's hard to question that emotionally he'd want to join two huge passions of his.

All the intimations so far has the NFL leaning towards a second Wembley game but, honestly, familiarity breeds apathy and that it would risk taking the shine off what they already have going on at Wembley.

What I can say with confidence is that as of right now Ireland is far, far more likely to host an NFL game of any hue than Germany is as the NFL is huge on sticking to one market at the moment. They've over-reached in the past so they're taking things very conservatively this time. The 40 million people of Irish heritage in America and the two countries historical bonds (as opposed to antagonism in the case of Germany) certainly helps too.

If the Notre Dame game is a success it'll really boost our chances so I suppose the best advice you can offer is if you want an NFL game here turn out in the Aviva next year.

conno16 · 30-11-2011 9:38am

when are tickets on sale for that btw?

bruschi · 30-11-2011 9:55am

Syferus wrote: »

Dan Rooney is a dyed-in-the-wool Irish-American and personally requested the Irish ambassador role from Obama so it's hard to question that emotionally he'd want to join two huge passions of his.

All the intimations so far has the NFL leaning towards a second Wembley game but, honestly, familiarity breeds apathy and that it would risk taking the shine off what they already have going on at Wembley.

What I can say with confidence is that as of right now Ireland is far, far more likely to host an NFL game of any hue than Germany is as the NFL is huge on sticking to one market at the moment. They've over-reached in the past so they're taking things very conservatively this time. The 40 million people of Irish heritage in America and the two countries historical bonds (as opposed to antagonism in the case of Germany) certainly helps too.

If the Notre Dame game is a success it'll really boost our chances so I suppose the best advice you can offer is if you want an NFL game here turn out in the Aviva next year.

Agree with that. I dont think there is any way they would sell out 2 games in Wembley in one season now. The Bears/Bucs game was a good bit short of a sell out, plenty of tickets available at it, and a load of upper tier seats were empty. most people just make an annual event of going to the game there, cant see people doing it twice, and cant see the demand in Wembley for 2 games in the season.

as pointed out, a lot of international fans go to these games. plenty of Americans make the trip over, and I'm sure they will be looking at the Navy game to see how many Americans travel, and you could add in a load fo central Europeans who would travel to Ireland for a regular NFL season game. Its as easy to get to London as Dublin from mainland Europe so I dont see it as a huge issue. I would think alright Germany would get a game before Ireland, but there are positives and negatives for both places.

me-skywalker · 30-11-2011 10:22am

If it does get the go ahead it will be the same as the Wembley game as in that big teams aren't going to be willing to give-up a home game less chances of seeing Pats, Packers, Saints, Giants, Steelers... unless it is as an away team. As I've said we could just end up with a Steelers pre-season game, wouldnt be awful but fingers crossed thsi happens!!

D3PO · 30-11-2011 10:41am

me-skywalker wrote: »

If it does get the go ahead it will be the same as the Wembley game as in that big teams aren't going to be willing to give-up a home game !!

All 32 teams have signed up to giving up a home game for the international series. So weather they are willing or not it might not be up to them.

me-skywalker · 30-11-2011 1:15pm

D3PO wrote: »

All 32 teams have signed up to giving up a home game for the international series. So weather they are willing or not it might not be up to them.

Can you link me the material, just interested in reading it myself.

Le King · 30-11-2011 1:52pm

I thought they would be more interested in sorting out LA and Toronto before Dublin and London etc.

Germany is far more deserving but I'm not going to say no to a game in Croke Park.

Surely the agenda should be getting a team in LA and then placing games elsewhere around the globe.

GoldFour4 · 30-11-2011 1:56pm

Le King wrote: »

I thought they would be more interested in sorting out LA and Toronto before Dublin and London etc.

Germany is far more deserving but I'm not going to say no to a game in Croke Park.

Surely the agenda should be getting a team in LA and then placing games elsewhere around the globe.

Ah but come on man your talking about two completely different things. The idea of the europe games is to spread the game to a wider audience. Its asking a team to give up one home game.

Relocating a team to LA is asking a team to leave their fanbase for good. Thats asking all the players, coaches and the hundreds of people employed by teams to move home. The game doesn't need to be promoted in LA. Its the second largest TV market for the league.

Le King · 30-11-2011 2:05pm

malachyscott wrote: »

Ah but come on man your talking about two completely different things. The idea of the europe games is to spread the game to a wider audience. Its asking a team to give up one home game.

Relocating a team to LA is asking a team to leave their fanbase for good. Thats asking all the players, coaches and the hundreds of people employed by teams to move home. The game doesn't need to be promoted in LA. Its the second largest TV market for the league.

No, I realise that. Who said it needs to be promoted in LA? Jaguars, Raiders, 49ers, Bills, Chargers etc. would all benefit from moving to LA. By 2016 we will have a team in LA. The NFL want a team in LA.

Getting back to the point I'd love to see a Cowboys v Giants in Croke Park. Pipe dream.

me-skywalker · 30-11-2011 2:35pm

Le King wrote: »

Germany is far more deserving but I'm not going to say no to a game in Croke Park.

Why is Germany far more deserving?

jack presley · 30-11-2011 3:17pm

me-skywalker wrote: »

Le King wrote: »

Germany is far more deserving but I'm not going to say no to a game in Croke Park.

Why is Germany far more deserving?

Bigger interest per capita I'd imagine. They did support a couple of NFL Europe and at the end apart from a Dutch team, they were all German

I said this yesterday but I don't think there was much agreement but I still think us being around 800 miles and 2-3 hours closer to the States than Germany, as well as us speaking English are big pluses to our bid.

NFL regulalr season game in Croke Park ?

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